William Burrus  APWU President

Ask the President

Question:

A manager at the Amarillo Processing & Distribution Center put together a softball team a few years ago named Gone Postal. I played on the team the first year, and when the manager gave us our team shirts, he told us not to wear them to work, because it might not sit well with some people.

Fast forward to today and some of the employees on the team feel like it’s no big deal to wear these shirts to work now. Several employees and I have complained about this recently, saying it is demeaning and disrespectful. We had a meeting on the subject Monday morning, July 21, about 3 a.m. It is up to the discretion of management to decide what is offensive according to the dress code, but they don’t seem to find it offensive. I wonder if employees where tragedies have occurred would think it was a good name for a softball team.

Alex, Amarillo (TX) Local

President Burrus:

Thank you for your e-mail regarding the post office softball team named Gone Postal.

The American Postal Workers Union has consistently opposed the use of this offensive term. As you recall, the media adopted the phrase after several acts of violence by postal employees against co-workers. At the time, the Postal Service and other employee organizations joined with APWU in protesting the characterization of postal employees as violent goons.

Now it appears that commercial entities are attempting to capitalize on the term to sell goods and services, and postal officials have remained silent. The most recent endeavor is the retail shipping franchise named Goin’ Postal, which reaps financial gain using this despicable phrase.

I have written the postmaster general, challenging management’s decision to designate this company as a partner in the Approved Shipper program. His lack of a response sends a clear message of complicity.

I intend to call upon the delegates to the APWU National Convention in Las Vegas to picket the three Goin’ Postal stores in the area. Our intent is to use the very media that coined the term to spread the word that postal employees do not appreciate the humor.

The same applies to the softball team in your community. Humor does not mask the intent of the phrase, which is to characterize postal employees as violent.

The word “postal” is part of a brand name that touches the lives of every citizen six days a week, so there is immediate recognition of any business or organization that uses the word in its name. This presents opportunities for commercial entities. In this sense, our reputation is being used as a means to make money.

Over the past 200 years, millions of American citizens have served as postal employees, and through their service, our country has enjoyed the best communication system in history. Their individual contributions should not be tarnished by a sick joke.

Thank you for bringing your local situation to my attention. We will not be successful in recovering our good name and reputation until we end the use of this phrase.

Thank you for your membership in the APWU.

Aug. 6, 2008